1. Technical Field
The container disclosed herein relates to a dispensing box for packaged surgical sutures. More specifically, the suture dispensing box is configured to be used in both the U.S. preferred mode wherein the box is vertically disposed, and in the European preferred mode, wherein the box or a portion thereof is disposed horizontally.
2. Background of the Art
Modern surgical procedures draw upon a wide variety of types and sizes of surgical sutures. These sutures are usually contained in individual retainers or foil laminate envelopes wherein the suture is wound, for example, in a figure eight type pattern, or coil. Indicia indicating the size and type of the suture are typically printed on the enclosure envelopes to facilitate identification.
Dispensing boxes for such suture packages are known in the art. As shown in FIG. 1, the preferred format for dispensing boxes in the United States is to have the longer side of the box 2 disposed vertically. Suture packages 50 are retrieved horizontally from the bottom of the vertical stack of suture packages by grasping a shorter side of the generally rectangular suture package. As suture packages are withdrawn, the stack drops down to reposition other packages for retrieval.
The preferred European format, however, is with the longer side of the dispenser 2a and the stack of suture packages 50 disposed horizontally, as shown in FIG. 2. The dispenser 2a acts like a drawer, the suture packages being withdrawn vertically from the dispensing box 2a by grasping the longer side of the generally rectangular suture package. A typical operating room has suture box shelving or racks configured to accommodate either the U.S. or European boxes.
Because the U.S. and European dispensing boxes have different configurations, manufacturers currently provide separate boxes for each market. As such, two separate manufacturing, labeling and inventory systems must be maintained. What is needed is a dispensing box that can be used in both the U.S. preferred mode and the European preferred mode. Such a universal dispenser would eliminate the need for separate box constructions for different markets, providing both economy of manufacture and flexibility of use.